Noise Canceling Headphone Recommendations

[x Tame Impala]

Ended up getting the qc35 which are pretty solid.



Bose has wireless noise canceling earbuds

For plain Bluetooth earbuds use the 25 dollar Amazon ones.

Basic bitch . Should've went with the Audio Technicas

 

[Shareefruck]

I generally don't find active noise canceling to be very impressive or worthwhile, personally-- After playing around with different brands, I've settled pretty reliably on just going with Etymotic Research wired in-ear earbuds, which feels just perfect to me in terms of sound profile and price range (ATH M50s were great too when I tried them a few years ago-- are they still the standard now? Bose and Beats are really mediocre and stupidly overpriced, in my opinion-- you're basically paying for a brand name, and one that isn't even all that reputable or great).

They're super accurate, detailed, and crisp, don't do the silly artificial bass-boosting thing that most other high profile headphones do (even the M50s do it a tiny bit), they're very affordable, look really elegant/minimalist, and are as good at organically noise-isolating as anything. Apparently some people dislike how deep in the ear canal they go, but I really love that approach personally-- It provides perfect noise isolation without feeling clunky, non-portable, or too hard on your ears when you wear them too long, and also allows you to keep everything at a very low and non-ear-piercing volume without sacrificing the experience or being drowned out by outside noise).

I love all of its sensibilities and design choices. Very tasteful. The only downside is that its effectiveness (particularly the bass) can depend on whether your ear canal is small enough to create a tight seal (although that can be solved by buying larger tips), and you'll have to purchase a bunch of cheap replacement tips for ongoing use, because they get gross if you use them for longer than a few months (because they're deep in your ears).

 

[PeteWorrell]

It really depends what you are looking and in what environment you will be using them. I make long commutes every day on public transportation and the noise from the engine plus the crowds of people makes me really ramp up the volume if there is no noise cancelling which is damaging to my ears. I bought the Sony WH-1000XM3 during a Back to School sale after my trusty Shure SE535 broke after a decade of service and they are worth every penny. They block out the majority of the noise and i could not be happier.

Do they have the best sound? No but, they are perfect if like i said, someone just wants to casually listen to music while commuting and travelling.

 

[Shareefruck]

It really depends what you are looking and in what environment you will be using them. I make long commutes every day on public transportation and the noise from the engine plus the crowds of people makes me really ramp up the volume if there is no noise cancelling which is damaging to my ears. I bought the Sony WH-1000XM3 during a Back to School sale after my trusty Shure SE535 broke after a decade of service and they are worth every penny. They block out the majority of the noise and i could not be happier.

Do they have the best sound? No but, they are perfect if like i said, someone just wants to casually listen to music while commuting and travelling.

For what it's worth, Etymotics are actually really good at blocking off outside noise without active noise canceling, just by having a really tight seal-- one of its strengths for me were that I didn't have to crank it up to not be bothered by or notice much traffic noises going on outside, without sacrificing music quality. They don't block out everything of course (they're like actual earplugs), but I don't think noise canceling headphones do either, right?

 

[sigma six]

Moot point now, but if I needed ANC cans I'd love to try some B&W PX7's.

 

[Dolemite]

I got a pair of these (Razer Destiny 2 edition) from an imgur Secret Santa and man they block out all sound. My wife has come up beside me numerous times and I never hear her approach or anything else for that matter.

https://www.gamestop.com/video-game...actable-mic-and-inline-controls/10148809.html

 

[PeteWorrell]

For what it's worth, Etymotics are actually really good at blocking off outside noise without active noise canceling, just by having a really tight seal-- one of its strengths for me were that I didn't have to crank it up to not be bothered by or notice much traffic noises going on outside, without sacrificing music quality. They don't block out everything of course (they're like actual earplugs), but I don't think noise canceling headphones do either, right?

Like i said, i used the Shure SE535 for a decade and they blocked most outside noise but not as efficiently as the Sony's. I also appreciate the bigger sound stage offered by headphones compared to earphones. The Shure sounded much better but i have never been much of an audiophile and i am not bothered by the lower quality sound for better noise cancelling.

It really is a matter of preference in the end as there are tons of quality options for all types of listeners if one can properly do their research before splashing the cash.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

Senheisser pxc 550

 

[Power Man]

A bunch of friends have issues with the Bose QC 35 II

Poor BT range, volume control issues, ANC getting worse after software update .... etc

I tried them in different stores and yes, ANC is bad, my old Sony headphones do it better

Think I'm gonna keep my Sony headphones (too bad I can't connect them to multiple devices simultaneously)

 

[John Price]

A bunch of friends have issues with the Bose QC 35 II

Poor BT range, volume control issues, ANC getting worse after software update .... etc

I tried them in different stores and yes, ANC is bad, my old Sony headphones do it better

Think I'm gonna keep my Sony headphones (too nad I can't connect them to multiple devices simultaneously)

I like em so far. I can clearly hear subway announcements though . If you turn it off the subway is pretty loud so it does reduce ambient noise.

Use them every day for work here as well as riding the train to games. The only concern atm is the cord which I use constantly. I could use a backup cause the thing will probably wear down after overuse

 

[Power Man]

I like em so far. I can clearly hear subway announcements though . If you turn it off the subway is pretty loud so it does reduce ambient noise.

Use them every day for work here as well as riding the train to games. The only concern atm is the cord which I use constantly. I could use a backup cause the thing will probably wear down after overuse

Well as long as you can hear the annoucements and not miss the subway

 

[shello]

I use the Sony Xm1000's and I love them. I wish they had dual bluetooth pairing but the noise cancellation is top notch. The compression can be irritating on my ears sometimes but overall they're really good. Subway's, planes, studying on campus they just cancel the world around you

 

[Shareefruck]

Unrelated note, I just bought the Beyerdynamic DT770s, and they're incredible, IMO. I like them a lot more than the Audio Technica M50s. The soundstage is better and far more spacious (they feel like open-backs despite being closed), it's far more comfortable (doesn't press against your ears and you can keep them on for far longer without noticeable fatigue) and it looks way nicer as well, in addition to having very comparable pricing, accuracy, and toughness. Where the M50s have them beat is that the cable's too long and too many parts are non-replacable.

 

[Kcb12345]

+1 for the Sony WH-1000XM3's. Outstanding all around headphones for everyday use, especially great for traveling.

Worth every dollar and one of my favorite/best purchases of the last couple of years

 

[Power Man]

I use the Sony Xm1000's and I love them. I wish they had dual bluetooth pairing but the noise cancellation is top notch. The compression can be irritating on my ears sometimes but overall they're really good. Subway's, planes, studying on campus they just cancel the world around you

I have an older Sony ANC model - XB950N1 and I also wish it had dual pairing
ANC isn't as good the XM1000's but it's good enough for my needs

And the bass is amazing

 

[x Tame Impala]

My AudioTechnica’s are still doing great! Cool to look back on this thread.

I was out on my balcony smoking a cigar and listening to Zeppelin with my standard iPhone headphones that’ve been through the wash 3 times already, and then I was like “Why the f*** am I using these piece of shits when I’ve got my nice ones inside?!”

They’re still SO GOOD! Such high quality

 

[Srsly]

A bunch of friends have issues with the Bose QC 35 II

Poor BT range, volume control issues, ANC getting worse after software update .... etc

I tried them in different stores and yes, ANC is bad, my old Sony headphones do it better

Think I'm gonna keep my Sony headphones (too bad I can't connect them to multiple devices simultaneously)

Both my wife and I have had ours for years and haven’t had any of said issues(knock on wood) aside from some range issues which only come into play when there’s a wall between me and the source. I also found the ANC to be on par with my old QC25s and the Sony’s I’ve had in the past. If anything they’ve been a little too good and block out the people around me that try to speak with me directly. Of course I have the QC35 version ii with Google assistant so perhaps the issues are with the original model.

Several of my coworkers also have the QC35s and love them. Some of which had issues after updates with ANC and battery life, but those issues were pretty easily resolved. So I’m sure he’ll be fine with the purchase. I’d probably go with a high end Sony set if I bought them again today, but they’re still top end in terms of performance. I considered trading them off for AirPod pros but the battery life with apples buds leaves something to be desired.

 

[John Price]

I have no problems with the QC35's. It's just that I can't use them as much as I spend most of my time in quarantine instead of in public. They're great for use in public settings (i.e. train ride to hockey games) but when I'm at home I can just turn the computer audio on so there really isn't much use. I will admit though the bass on these things man it adds a whole new angle to music listening

 

[S E P H]

My AudioTechnica’s are still doing great! Cool to look back on this thread.

I was out on my balcony smoking a cigar and listening to Zeppelin with my standard iPhone headphones that’ve been through the wash 3 times already, and then I was like “Why the f*** am I using these piece of shits when I’ve got my nice ones inside?!”

They’re still SO GOOD! Such high quality

I am a AT fanboy, had a set of corded headphones from them last me like 10 years; they still even work, but the strap portion has gotten too loose where I had to upgrade. I then went with a combo cord/blutooth AT's and they've been great except that wearing them for long portions hurts and the headsets battery life sucks (like 3-4 hours tops, not sure if this is different to other headsets).

Which model did you eventually go with?

 

[aleshemsky83]

One thing I'll say about Bose and Beats, they're by far the most comfortable. These audiophile brands just don't know how to make a really comfortable set of headphones.

Throw Sony in there, their headphones are super cozy too.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I am a AT fanboy, had a set of corded headphones from them last me like 10 years; they still even work, but the strap portion has gotten too loose where I had to upgrade. I then went with a combo cord/blutooth AT's and they've been great except that wearing them for long portions hurts and the headsets battery life sucks (like 3-4 hours tops, not sure if this is different to other headsets).

Which model did you eventually go with?

ATH M50x

Very comfortable as well

 

[Power Man]

One thing I'll say about Bose and Beats, they're by far the most comfortable. These audiophile brands just don't know how to make a really comfortable set of headphones.

Throw Sony in there, their headphones are super cozy too.

Can confirm

I recently got a pair of Beats Studio 3 (Desert Sand Cameo edition - they look amazing imo)

Much more comfortable than my Sony XB-950N1 (RIP because of dumb swivel design)

 

[aleshemsky83]

I didn't want to make another thread about this so I'll just comment in here.

Ive been looking around for some good wireless earbuds to replace the $40 soundpeats ive been using, Id narrowed it down to Jabra 75t, the first gen Sennheisser true wireless (deep discount to make room for the 2s) or the jaybird runs, when I made a really weird realization. While almost all cheaper earbuds allow you to use either the left or right earbuds independently, none of the more expensive ones do, they all have a master earbud (usually right) that the slave cannot work without. The only exception? Apple Airpods and Beats by Dre (apple owned). So weird that apple is the one that isn't cutting features.

Will probably get either powerbeats pro or the Sonys (which you can also use just one surprisingly, good on them).

 

[Supermassive]

Can confirm

I recently got a pair of Beats Studio 3 (Desert Sand Cameo edition - they look amazing imo)

Much more comfortable than my Sony XB-950N1 (RIP because of dumb swivel design)

The Beats Studio 3’s are definitely all-day comfortable. I know I might look like a trend follower when I wear them, but for the on-Sale price they’re awesome.

 

[Commander Clueless]

I recently acquired the HyperX Cloud Alpha S on sale, but I had to return it. A nice headset, but they took sound isolation to the next level.

As strictly a pair of headphones, that might have been okay....but I also use my headsets for voice chat, and it was like having ear protection muffs on at all times. Could barely hear myself speak.

With a kid on the way, that weren't gunna fly....

It's too bad. We're not talking an audiophile level of sound, but they were decent and extremely comfortable.


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